Story

PART 3: CRIMSON RIVER RIOT
President Mugabo was disgracefully impeached and never returned to his home village in the East. Instead, he has opened up shop and started a new life in Amadi–a village too war-torn to care about deposed leaders with shameful pasts.

Amani Karumi on the other hand is alive, well, and gaining notoriety as the illusive manager of the 5th Column rebellion. He’s also assumed to be puppeteering many levels of government, even though no overt allegiances have been announced. Most importantly, Amadi Karume’s movement is stoking a growing national flame of hatred directed at the West and their “imperialist” ambitions. People don’t see foreign aid as so free anymore. Many would rather the Coalition go home than have full bellies. In fact–on the Western border with Mozambi–the Coalition was sent home. Almost.

The Crimson River Riot happened without warning on Christmas Eve, 2013. It was so well-coordinated, many analysts concluded that it must have been birthed by a larger third party. The 5th Column was surely involved–but so was someone else. When Russian weapons, air defenses, and personnel suddenly appeared in the Rebellion’s arsenal a few weeks later, theories became fact. Either way, the Coalition was expelled. But only to the other side of the border. And no one had the energy to cross into Mozambi and finish the job. Everyone expects to regret that decision someday. Nobody knows how soon.

Without foreign aid, Western Rhodesia has had to look elsewhere for sustenance. Ever the opportunist, the Black River Group has agreed to provide it (for a price). And they can do it cheap; they’re already in the area. Never mind an obvious conflict of interest (they’re guarding a disputed Mozambi border zone). It’s not ideal, but alternate transport companies aren’t exactly lining up. And the most important stuff (medical aid) is being billed to the Red Cross.

So the stage is set for a proxy war between the fading West and the faded East. Regardless the outcome, Rhodesia loses.

PART 2: BLOOD, SWEAT AND SAND
Amani Karume is dead. The K-131 virus has been suppressed. Stability is returning to Rhodesia with Mugabo being elected the first President in the newly established democracy. Now attention has been turned to country security and infrastructure, specifically the diamond mine operations. To accomplish this, Mugabo has instituted the creation of the Rhodesian Republican Army–or RRA–under the direction of General Tay. The Coalition has begun the training of the RRA, with hopes of being able to quickly turn all matters of security over to them.

With the Coalition stretched thin due to RRA training, other global conflicts, and government sequesters, President Mugabo is pushing newly formed RRA to operate as the leading force to police and secure country assets and personnel.

Rumors continue to persist of a nuclear arms development project in Rhodesia with support coming from the country of Mozambi, Rhodesia’s neighbor to the South, and who have also made a muli-million dollar contract with the Black River Group to keep Rhodesia’s unrest contained to their side of the border. Coalition units have pushed the search to the inhospitable regions of Rhodesia trying to confirm a nuclear program but progress has been hindered by the rising anti-government faction, “The Fifth Column.”

The Fifth Column has engaged in attacks against the RRA and Coalition using IEDs and other deceptive tactics. This week alone eight Coalition soldiers were attacked by RRA soldiers. The RRA involved in the attack are speculated Fifth Column operatives or sympathizers. These tactics have severely damaged the trust between the Coalition and the RRA. This has put the RRA and Black River Group security forces on high alert as they operate as the President’s personal security.

A lot rests on President Mugabo. He is expected to facilitate an effective transition from Black River Group and Coalition operations to the RRA. Time is on no one’s side.

PART 1: REVOLT
ABOUT THE RHODESIAN REVOLT SERIES
“The Rhodesian Revolt” is what we refer to as an “immersion experience”–not just a military simulation but rather an economic, political and cultural experience as well.

WELCOME TO RHODESIA. PLEASE LEAVE ALL FOOD, MONEY, AND AMMUNITION AT THE DOOR. YOU MAY KEEP YOUR COWBOY HAT, LEATHER CHAPS AND REVOLVER (SANS ANY AMMO).

So let’s say you start out as a Rebel (i.e., the Fifth Column). You enter this world with just enough money to buy maybe a piece of crummy meat or a cheap trinket. You can also pool your money with friends and buy some ammunition–but who cares about that when you’re starving, right? So you network your way to some seedy underground tribal leader who promises a modest income in exchange for a quick “job.” Of course, with these people, no job is ever quick. Or simple.

Black River Group, on the other hand, enjoys the benefits of a generous income, bleeding-edge equipment and a powerful corporate backer. But if your leader disappears, you don’t get paid. And you don’t get ammunition (ammo is about as necessary as water in your line of work). So you find yourself envying the huddled masses across the street that actually get paid for what they do and seem to be eating better than you are. You wonder what sort of employee protection laws they have in this country.

Or, as a member of the Coalition‘s Airborne Division, you literally dropped into Rhodesia. You don’t have to worry about food, ammunition or protection because that is all offered to you as a benefit of representing the most powerful army in the world. Until you realize that it isn’t. No air support or supply drops with SAM sites still active in the area. So you and your squad are given the assignment of taking those out. And you’re rationed 200 rounds to do so.

So pick a side. But be warned: if you make your choice based on who has the moral high ground, you will be disappointed. None escape the Republic of Rhodesia without picking up at least a little dirt…